Machine for manufacturing concrete reinforcements.



giw.

J. ROGERS.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING CONCRETE REINFORGBMBNTS. APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 30, 1914.

1,126,572. Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY rHE NORRIS PETERS CO. FHOTO-LI TMQ. WASHIN'GrON, D.

J. ROGERS. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING CONCRETE REINFOROEMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Ja11.26, 1915.

. :nnmmmunmunmu mumgnnmmmmn IlllllllllllllllllliillllliHI 7- 0 WITNESSES ATTORNEY J. ROGERS. MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING CONCRETE RBINFOROEMBNTS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1914.

1,126,572, Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR WITNESSES Jbh/w 6715,

ATTO RN EY THE NORRIS PETERS Ca. PHOTCWLITHOH WASHINGTON. D. C

J. ROGERS. MACHINE P R MANUFACTURING CONCRETE REINFORCEMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 1914.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

.III II ATTO R N EY WITNESSES v THE NORRIS PETERS C0. PHDTO-LITHOH WASHING roN. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

JOHN ROGERS, OF MADISON, WISCONSIN.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING CONCRETE BEINFORCEMENTS.

Application filed January 30, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Join: Romans, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Machine for Manufacturing Concrete Reinforcements, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in machines for manufacturing concrete reinforcements, that is, metallic devices designed to be embedded in concrete structures for strengthening the latter in the customary manner.

The present invention has to do with a machine for making reinforcements of the character disclosed in my application No. 727,199, for concrete fence posts, filed October 22, 1912. This reinforcement consists especially of strands in the form of wires or rods spaced apart and connected together by other strands transverse to the firstnamed strands and appropriately spaced apart, the second strands, which may be rods or wires of smaller gage than the first strands, being connected to the first-named strands by incomplete loops embracing the first strands in a manner to prevent escape of the latter from the loops. Furthermore, the first-named strands are kinked or crimped or corrugated to a slight extent to prevent any tendency toward longitudinal movement either with respect to the secondnamed or anchoring strands,'or with respect to the concrete structure in which the reinforcement is embedded. For convenience of description the kinked or crimped members will be termed rods, and the other members spacing and anchoring the first-named members will be termed wires, without, however, limiting the invention to the formation of structures using such specific materials, since both sets of members might be made of wire or of rods or of any material suitable for the purpose.

The machine of the present invention comprises means for crimping or kinking the rods which may be made from wire of suitable gage fed from reels, or may be straight rods of suitable length introduced successively into the machine, means being provided for the severing of the wire or rods as the case may be into appropriate lengths, so that the machine will produce an appropriate supply of kinked or crimped Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

Serial No. 815,462.

rods of suitable length to be fed in proper spaced relation to a series of spaced strands or wires, which latter may come from storage reels or other sources of supply, and as these crimped rods are fed to the spaced wires designed to constitute the anchoring wires, said wires are by appropriate mechanism bent around the rods in the form of incomplete loops or eyes, which will serve to hold the rods together in proper spaced relation without the necessity of being carried completely around the rods. This permits the formation of the reinforcement in indeterminate lengths to be afterward cut up into such lengths as may be found desirable. The reinforcements may, therefore, be produced in a flat condition to be afterward bent up into such shape as may be desired, and in the case of posts these reinforcements are bent into columnar form with the ends of the anchoring wires looped about a terminal one of the rods or longitudinal strands, the whole structure being then embedded in cement in the usual manner.

The machine of the present invention is designed to be largely automatic, so that when once set for the production of a certain size of-reinforcement the only attention needed is that an adequate supply of wire and rods be provided.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the further understanding that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, the latter is not confined to any exact conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention.

In'the drawings :Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine as viewed from the side remote from the delivery side. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the machine as viewed from the left-hand end of Fig. 1, but omitting distant parts. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the machine as viewed from the right-hand end of Fig. 1 but omitting distant parts. Fig. 4 is a section on the line li of Fig. 1 but drawn to a larger scale and omitting some parts. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 4 but omitting the anchoring wire therein shown. Fig. 7 is a section similar to that of Fig. 1 but drawn to a larger scale and more circumscribed, and showing dif ferent phases of operation of the devices disclosed in the figure. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the crimping mechanism. Fig. 9 is an elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a detail elevation of a cut off mechanism for the crimped rods. Fig. 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 7 but showing some parts in elevation. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 10. Figs. 13. 14 and 15 are perspective views of details of the structure.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a supporting frame comprising uprights 1, longitudinal members 2, 3, and cross members 4:, all of which may be made of structural steel, preferably angle metal, but the particular construction of the frame is not material to the present invention and may be varied as desired to accommodate the various working mechanisms.

At one end of the supporting frame there is mounted a power shaft 5 with tight and loose pulleys 6, whereby power may be applied from any suitable source, and as it is customary to drive machinery from difierent sources of power, the pulleys 6 may be taken as typical of any suitable means for driving the shaft 5, whether by pulley and belt as would be the case in the showing of the drawings, or by the direct application of power as in the use of an electric motor. However, these features form no part of the present invention which is not limited to the use of any particular driving means.

The shaft 5 is journaled in the bearings 7 and carries near one end bearing a plain pinion 8 and beyond the other bearing a beveled pinion 9. The pinion 8 is in mesh with a gear wheel 10 mounted on a shaft 11, and this shaft drives another shaft 12 above and parallel with the shaft 11 through gear wheels 13 and l l mounted on the respective shafts 11 and 12. The shafts 11 and 12 are mounted in bearings carried by uprights 15, 16 of familiar construction, and therefore requiring no special description. The shafts 11 and 12 carry toothed disks 17, 18, respectively, so related that the teeth of the disks alternate and any object passed between these disks will be acted upon by the teeth thereof in alternate succession. The purpose of these disks will appear hereinafter. Furthermore, the shaft 11 carries guide plates 19 on opposite sides of the disk 17 not only serving to guide a suitable object between the disks, but maintaining the disk 18 in proper alinement with the disk 17.

Mounted on a suitable part of the frame is a bracket 20 sustaining one end of the plate 21, the other end of which may be sus tained by another part of the frame, and on this plate are disposed a series of grooved rollers 22 on opposite sides of the upright plane of the disks 17 and 18 and in advance thereof inthe direction of travel of an article to be acted upon by the disks. This article comprises a rod 23 which may be of an indeterminate length and of suitable gage, and is designed to be one of the members of larger gage of the reinforcement. In the case of a fence post reinforcement the rod 23 when cut to proper length will constitute one of the upright members of the reinforcement.

The rods 23 may be formed of wire of suitable gage which may be quite heavy and if not too heavy may be wound upon reels. If the rods 23 are too heavy for winding, then they may be supplied in appropriate lengths. These rods are passed first through the group of rollers 22 arranged on opposite sides of the path of the rod, so as to serve to straighten the rod should it be out of line in any part. The disks 17 and 18 being positively driven and also toothed, these teeth being preferably of low triangular form, will bite into the rod and draw it between the disks. The result of this action is to produce in the rod a succession of indentations 2ain alternation on opposite sides of the rod and the teeth being purposely not too sharp the rod becomes bent or crimped to an appropriately slight extent agreeable to the relation of the disks 17 and 18.

Fast to the frame of the machine is a post 25 on that side of the disks 17 and 18 remote from the straightening rollers 22 and also approximately in line with the path of the rod 23 passing between the disks 17 and 18. The post 25 may be formed of spaced plates between which is mounted a cutter block 26 shown best in Figs. 10 and 12. In operative relation to the active edge of the cutter block 26 is a cutter blade 27 controlled by a cam 28 on a rock shaft 29 mounted in the post 25 and provided with a spring 30, or with any other suitable means for holding the shaft 29 normally in a chosen position, the cam 28 participating in the rocking movements of the shaft 29. The arrangement is such that the rod 23 after being crimped or kinked passes between the plates of the post 25 above the cutter block 26 and below the cutter blade 27. Fast to the rock shaft 29 is an arm 31 having its free end 32 in the path of an actuating stud 33 upon an endless chain 3% passing about a sprocket pinion 35 on the shaft 11 and about an idler sprocket wheel 36 at an appropriate distance from the sprocket wheel 35, so that as the chain 34 is driven by the sprocket wheel 35 the stud 33 will at intervals engage the free end 32 of the arm 31 and rock the shaft 29 in a direction to cause the cam 28 to engage the blade 27 and move it toward the cutter block 26 so as to sever the rod 23 then passing between the cutter block and blade.

By properly timing the operations a rod or wire 23 may be fed through the parts already described to be appropriately kinked or corrugated and at such intervals as may be determined by the proportions of the parts the rod is severed into suitable lengths for the purpose of producing the desired reinforcements.

Erected on the main frame of the machine at appropriate intervals in the length thereof are uprights 37 each carrying a yoke 38 of approximately U-shape by one leg of the yoke and in a manner to cause the closed end of the yoke to be higher than the open end, the closed end of the yoke being on that side of the main frame along which the rods 23 as severed are fed. The yoke and associated parts are best shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 in conjunction with Figs. 1 and 2. The yokes 38 are traversed by a trough 39 which may be made of sheet metal and be extended for the greater portion of the length of the machine, being upheld at the ends by supports 40, 41 and also by up rights 37. The troughs 39 are indicated as formed of two strips of metal appropriately flanged for strength, with one strip inside of the other in nested relation thereto. The inner strip has a depressed portion 42 designed to receive the rods 23 after being crimped and cut to length, and from this depressed portion the rods may be lifted to pass on to an apron 43 forming part of the inner strip, and from this apron the rods escape along one edge of the posts or uprights 37. Those legs of the yokes 38 opposite the ones made fast to the posts or uprights 37 are longer than the last named legs and are sustained by other uprights 44, and these uprights 44 each have one edge in close relation to an adjacent edge of an upright 37 so as to form between them a guideway 45 for the rods 23 on the escape of the latter from the apron 43. The uprights 44 are connected together by a strip 46 extending lengthwise of the machine. Each upright 44 at the lower end carries an angle shoe 47 and adjacent each shoe the strip 46 carries a finger 48 of a length to project below the lower edge of the shoe 47.

At each upright 37 the longitudinal members 2 support a pair of angle beams 49, 50, respectively, to which the uprights 37 may be secured, but in such manner that there is a space between the beams 49 and 50 formed by upstanding parallel ribs of these beams, this space being provided for the passage of a binding wire 51 designed to connect the bars 23 together to form the reinforcement. To guide these binding wires which come from suitable reels conveniently located, guides 52 are provided between those ends of the beams 49 and 50 between which the binding wires 51 first enter. Secured to the beam 50 outside of the space between the beams is a lever 53 by means of a pivot pin 54. One end of this lever is under the control of a spring 55 which may be attached at one end to the lever and at the other end to a bracket 56 fast to one of the 'side beams 2, while the other end of this lever which may be the shorter end is formed with a notch 57 located immediately below the guideway 45, so as to receive the lowermost one of the pile of rods 23 and support such pile. The end of the lever 53 beyond the notch or recess 57 may be rounded to form a nose 58 over which the rods 23 may readily escape.

At the outer side of the upright flange of the beam 49 there is mounted a slidable strip 57 connected at one end by a pitman or link 58 to a wrist pin 59 of a disk 60 mounted on a shaft 61 to which reference will presently be made. The strip 57 is so arranged as to reciprocate for an appropriate distance, and fast to one face of this strip 57 is another strip 62 provided at one end with a slot 63 by means of which it may be adjustably secured to the strip 57 by a screw 6-4, so that the relative position of the strip (32 lengthwise of the strip 57 may be determined at will. The strip 6:2 has an offset 65 so that the slotted end is to one side of the other end of the strip, thus leaving the last named end of the strip in spaced relation to the strip 57 and in this space is mounted a lever 66 by means of a pivot pin or screw 67, and this lever has one end formed into a nose 68 rising above the top of the combined strips 57 and 62 and also above the top of the respective beams 49 and 50, which latter have their flanges of rising height at the end remote from that portion where the wire 51 enters, this rising portion being indicated at 69 in Figs. 4 and 7.

Beneath the beam 50 there is secured an elongated slotted guide 70, and this guide may be duplicated with respect to the beam 49, although this is not essential. Pivoted between the beams 49 and 50 by means of a pivot pin or screw 71 are two members 72 and 73 of a pinching device having short heads 74 with rounded recesses 75 of a size to embrace a rod 23 and a wire 51 when in partial surrounding relation to such rod. Those ends of the members 7 2 and 73 remote from the pinching heads 74 are each connected to one end of a link 7 6 and the other ends of these links are connected together and to another link 77, the junction being brought about by a pivot pin 78 which may be of sufficient length to enter the slot of the guide 70. The link 77 is carried downwardly in the frame of the machine to a rock arm 79 on a rock shaft 80 suitably 1ournaled in bearings mounted in the cross pieces 4 of the main frame. In the particular instance shown in the drawings there are four pinching devices, and consequently the rock shaft 80 carries four rock arms 79 connected to a like number of links 7 7 The rock shaft 80 is of appropriate length somewhat less than the full length of the machine and at one end carries a sprocket wheel 81 connected by a sprocket chain 82 to a sprocket pinion 83 on the shaft 61 which is appropriately journaled in bearings 84 on the main frame.

That end of the shaft 80 remote from the sprocket wheel 81 carries a rock arm 85 connected by a link 86 to a wrist pin 87 on a pulley 88 journaled on the main frame, and this pulley receives motion by a belt 89 extending to another pulley 90 on a countershaft 91 appropriately mounted on the main frame and carrying a sprocket wheel 92 receiving motion through a sprocket chain 93 coming from a sprocket pinion 94 mounted on one end of a short shaft 95 journaled in the main frame, and at the other end carrying a beveled pinion 96 meshing with the pinion 9 on the main power shaft 5. The belt 89 is maintained taut by a ti ghtener pulley 97 on a lever 98 controlled by a bar 99 having teeth 100 any one of which may be engaged with a finger 101 appropriately mounted on the main frame.

Let it be assumed that a rod 23 or a wire of appropriate gage for the same purpose is being fed into the machine, and that power is being applied to the shaft 5 to drive it. The rod 23 is first straightened by the rollers 22 and then passes through the crimpin disks 17 and 18 which also serve as fee disks, and thus the rod passes through the two-part post 25 and into the trough 42. When this rod has about reached the other end of the machine the stud or block 33 engages the arm 31 and causes the blade 27 to sever the rod 23 and the parts may be so proportioned that the severed end of the rod will drop out of the way of the oncoming second rod to be formed, and so the crimping and cutting of the rods may proceed indefinitely and these formed rods are fed into the space 45 in position for further operation.

Let it be assumed that there is already an accumulation of rods 23 in the guideways 45 and that the machine is continuing in operation. Continuous rotative movement is imparted to the pulley 88 by the bevel pinions 9 and 96, the sprocket chain 93, the sprocket wheel 92, the pulley 90 and the belt 89, while the link 86 actuated by the pulley 88 imparts a rocking motion to the shaft 80, which rocking motion is imparted both to the pinching device and to the feeding device for the rods 23. The motion of the rock shaft 80 is imparted to the pinching devices through the links 77 causing the links 7 6 to act on the links 7 2 and 73 in a manner to rock them oppositely about the pivot pins 71 after the manner of nip pers or shears, so that the gripping ends of the pinching devices, that is, the recessed heads 74, are alternately opened and closed, as indicated in dotted and full lines in Fig. 7, the open position being lower than the path ofthe wires 51 through the guide 52, so that these wires may override the pinching ends or heads of the pinching devices. When the pinching jaws have been opened, motion is imparted by the rock shaft 80 through the sprocket wheel 81, sprocket chain 82 and sprocket pinion 83 to the shaft 61 to rock it. However, the sprocket pinion 83 is not fast upon the shaft 61, but is loose thereon except that the pinion 83 is provided with a block 102 designed to engage a pin 103 in radial relation to the shaft 61, so that the pinion 83 may move through nearly a full rotation without actuating the shaft 61, thus permitting certain movements to be brought about in timed relation. The arrangement is such that a rod 23 is moved bodily at right angles to its length until it abuts against the fingers 48 being then directly over the pinching devices which at this time are in the open position with the pinching heads at the lowest point of their travel and the rod rests upon the wires 51 of which there are four in the particular arrangement shown in the drawings. Now the parts move in a manner to cause the pinching heads to rise and approach, but the shoes 47 prevent the rods 23 from being lifted, so the pinching heads engaging the wires 51 cause the latter to be moved into incomplete embracing relation to the rods until they are pinched tightly about the rods with the wires each in a slightly open loop, although in tight engagement with the respective rods. Now the pinching devices are withdrawn and the trips 57 are reciprocated in a manner to bring the noses 68 back of the already engaged rod 23 and then to engage this rod and force it in a direction away from the reservoir of rods, moving the wires 51 with it, and then a second rod 23 is brought into position against the fingers 48 to be secured to the wires 51 in the manner already described, this operation being repeated as long as the machine is run and the supply of rods and wires maintained. To receive the already formed reinforcement, arms 104 are made fast to the frame of the machine and project therefrom beyond that side of the frame opposite that receiving the wires 51.

The reinforcement structure may be made in any length continuously and rolled up or otherwise prepared for storage or after reaching the arms 10-1 the reinforcement may be cut up into such sizes as may be desired; and these separate reinforcements made up of an appropriate number of rods 23 bound together by the wires 51 may be piled together and united for storage or shipment to be ultimately curved into columnar form with the ends united to constitute post reinforcements, or to be otherwise employed as may be desired.

The kinking or crimping disks 17 and 18 are, of course, made of suitably hard material and besides serving the purpose of feed rollers bend the rods from opposite sides, so that they will firmly grip in the concrete structure in which they are embedded. These rollers are adjustable one toward the other in the bearings 15, 16, so as to give the desired tension for the proper feeding of the rods. 1

Should it be desired to vary the length of the rods as out off, the length of the chain 84 may be varied, thus varying the relative time of engagement of the lug 33 with the arm 31.

The post 25 is mounted at the lower end upon one end of a lever 106 and the other end of this lever is under the control of an adjustable rod 107, while the post at an intermediate point is connected to the rod 107 by a spring 108 and at an appropriate point the post 25 extends through a guide 109, thus providing a flexibility of the post permitting the cutting member to yield to the forward movement of the rod being cut. The adjusting rod 107 provides for an up and down adjustment of the cutter.

The feeding of the rods 23 from the pile of rods resting in the notch or recess 57 is accomplished by the strip 57 which as will be clearly seen from Fig. 15, has an elongated recess 110 terminating at one end in a shoulder 111 and at the other end in a gentle slope 112. The shoulder 111 when the strip 57 is in its retracted position engages behind the lowermost rod 23 then resting in the recess 57 of the lever 53, and then the forward movement of the strip 57 carries the rod 23 so engaged into contact with the finger 48 while the nose 68 then behind the secured rod 23 moves the same forwardly agreeable to the distance of travel of the strip 57. When the strip 57 is retracted the nose 68 is brought back into position to be engaged by the next fastened rod moved forward by the described forward movement of the nose 68. The lever 53 serves in the nature of a latch which prevents more than one wire 23 from being fed forward at a time.

Provision is made in the machine for avoiding the operation of the binding or tying devices for uniting the wires'51 to the rods 23 in the belt tightener roller 97,

for when the belt 89 is loose the pulley 88 is not actuated and the pinching devices and wire feeding devices remain quiescent, but the crimping of the rods 23 may continue. Of course, the pinching and wire feeding devices may be made to operate even though the rod feeding and crimping devices continue to operate without however causing any active operation of these last named devices, since this may be brought about by not feeding any rods 23 to the machine.

iVhile the structure has been shown as providing four binding wires 51, it will be understood that by a simple multiplication of structures the machine is readily constructed for a greater number of binding wires and may with equal facility be made to include a lesser number and furthermore that by lengthening or shortening the struc ture and properly proportioning the parts any desired length of reinforcement in the direction of the length of the rods 23 may be provided. Other changes in adjustment will result in forming the reinforcement somewhat differently than described, but such changes are readily apparent to any constructing engineer without the necessity of showing or describing them, for such changes do not involve any actual change in the invention itself.

lVhat is claimed is 1. In a machine for the purpose described, means for forming rods of predetermined length, means for causing the delivery of such rods in succession in position to be actuated in a direction perpendicular to their length, means for directing binding wires to one side of the rods, and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length of the rods, and means for folding the wires about the rods in incomplete embracing relation thereto.

2. In a machine for the purpose described, a feeding device for rods of metal having means for crimping said rods, means for cutting the rods into predetermined lengths, a receptacle for the cut rods having an outlet for presenting the rods individually, means for moving binding wires in underriding relation to a single presented rod, and means for moving the binding wires in partial embracing relation to the rod where the rod overlays such wires.

3. In a machine for the purpose described, feeding disks for rods having means for crimping or kinking the rods, a cutoff member on the discharge side of the feeding means provided with a mounting yieldable in the direction of travel of the rods, and means for actuating the cut-off member in timed relation to the feeding means and having its active movement in a direction the reverse of that of the rods.

4:. In a machine for the purpose described, a feeding means for rods, and a cut-off means for the rods provided with actuating means therefor timed to move the cut-off means in predetermined relation to the feeding means, said cut-off means being provided with a yielding mounting for permitting it to move with the rod to be cut off during the cutting operation and the actuating means for the cut-off means having its active movement in the reverse direction to the movement of the rods.

5. In a machine for the purpose described, means for preparing rods for use as concrete reinforcements comprising straightening rollers, constantly driven combined feeding and crimping rollers, and a cut-oil means for the rods having a mounting yieldable in the direction of travel of the rods and provided with actuating means traveling in a direction the reverse of that of the rods, said straightening rollers, feeding rollers and cut-off means being arranged in series in the order named with relation to the travel of the rod therethrough.

6. In a machine for the purpose described, means for continuously feeding a rod in the direction of its length, and means associated with the feeding means for cutting the rod into relatively short lengths, said cutting means having the mounting yieldable in the direction of travel of the rod to permit the severing of the rod with out interference in its progressive movement and also provided with actuating means moving in a direction the reverse of the direction of yielding of the mounting for the cutting means.

7. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding a rod continuously, and a severing means therefor comprising a post or support, cutting members mounted thereon and between which the rod is moved, means for actuating the cutting members, and a yieldable mounting for the post permitting its movement during the cutting operation in the direction of travel of the rod.

8. In a machine for the purpose described, feeding means for a rod and severing means therefor on the discharge side of the feeding means comprising a post, a cutting block therein, a cutting blade in the post, an actuating lever for the blade, means for causing a movement of the lever to bring the blade and block into cutting relation, a lever support for the post, adjusting means for the lever, and an elastic connection for the post for permitting it to yield in the direction of travel of the rod during the severing operation.

9. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding rods successively in spaced relation one to the other, means for feeding tie wires to the rods in spaced relation lengthwise thereof, and means for moving the tie wires about the rods in incomplete loops partially embracing the rods.

10. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding rods successively in spaced relation one to the other, means for feeding tie wires to the rods in spaced relation lengthwise thereof, and means for moving the tie wires about the rods in incomplete loops partially embracing the rods, said last-named means comprising pinching members movable into partial embracing relation to the rods with the wires lodged between the pinching members and the rods.

11. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding a series of tie wires in spaced relation, means for depositing rods on the wires transversely of the length of said wires successively and in spaced relation one to the other, and means for moving the portions of the wires upon which the rods rest in partial embracing relation to said rods.

12. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding a series of tie wires in spaced relation one to the other, means for depositing rods successively upon the tie wires in spaced relation one to the other, and means f0 moving the tie rods in partial embracing relation to the rods where resting upon the wires, said lastnamed means comprising oppositely movable members formed on adjacent faces with recesses, and means for moving the recessed faces into engagement with the tie wires to force them into partial embracing relation to the rods.

13. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding a series of spaced tie wires, means for depositing upon said wires a succession of rods in traversing re lation to the wires and in spaced relation one to the other, and means for moving the wires where crossed by the rods into par tial embracing relation to the rods comprising two members having a common pivotal support with pinching heads each on the face adjacent the other head provided with a recess shaped in conformity with the rod and wire when in partial embracing relation thereto, and a lever and link system for moving the pinching members about the common pivot into and out of engaging relation to the rod and wire.

14. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding a series of rods in succession and in spaced relation one to the other, means for placing tie wires in spaced relation one to the other and in underriding relation to the rods, a support for the rods along which they are movable in a direction transverse to their length and in overriding relation to the wires, a holddown means for the rods, and pinching mechanism for the wires in position to act on the wires where crossed by the rods and in operative relation to the holddown means.

15. I11 a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding a series of rods in succession and in spaced relation one to the other, means for placing tie wires in spaced relation one to the other and in underriding relation to the rods, a support for the rods along which they are movable in a direction transverse to their length and in overriding relation to the wires, a holddown means for the rods, and pinching mechanism for the wires in position to act on the wires where crossed by the rods and in operative relation to the hold down means, the machine being also provided with means for moving the rods transversely of their length into operative relation to the pinching means and with stop means for determining the position of the rods with relation to the pinching devices.

16. In a machine for the purpose described, supporting members for rods, a hold-down member in overriding relation to the supporting members, means for feeding a tie wire in underriding relation to a rod when on the supporting member, a reciprooatory rod feeding member for engaging a rod to move it under the hold-down member, a stop member associated with the holddown member, and a pinching device associated with the stop member and hold-down member for engaging the tie wire and moving it into partial embracing relation to the rod where crossing said tie wire.

17. In a machine for the purpose described, supporting members for rods, a hold-down member in overriding relation to the supporting members, means for feeding a tie wire in underriding relation to a rod when on the supporting member, a reciprocating rod-feeding member for engaging a rod to move it along the hold-down1nem her, a stop member associated with the holddown member, and apinching device associated with the stop member and hold-down member for engaging the tie wire and moving it into partial embracing relation to the rod where crossing said tie wire, said feeding mechanism also including means for engaging a rod already connected to the tie wire to move it in a direction away from the pinching mechanism.

18. In a machine for the purpose described, supporting members for rods, a hold-down member in overriding relation to the supporting members, means for feeding a tie wire in underriding relation to a red when on the supporting member, a reciprocatory rodfeeding member for engaging a rod to move it under the hold-down member, a stop member associated with the hold-down member, and a pinching device associated with the stop member and hold-down member for engaging a tie wire and moving it into partial embracing relation to the rod where crossing said tie wire, said feeding mechanism also including means for engaging a rod already connected to the tie wire to move it in a direction away from the pinching mechanism, said last-named feeding means having a member adjustable with relation to the first-named feeding means to determine the extent of movement of the secured rods away from the pinching mechanism.

19. In a machine for the purpose described, a support for rods provided with guide means for tie wires for directing the latter in underriding relation to the rods, a reciprocatory strip having means for en gaging the rods, a pinching device for moving the tie wire in partial embracing relation to the rods, and a feed member carried by the strip on the side of the pinching member remote from the rod-engaging part of the strip to engage rods already secured to the tie wire.

20. In a device for the purpose described, a support for rods having means for directing a tie wire in underriding relation to the rods, a reciprocatory strip having a shoulder for engaging the rods to feed them in a direction transverse to their length, a pivoted member carried by the strip and yieldable to move beneath the rod and spaced from the shoulder of the strip, a latch member for holding rods temporarily in inactive position, a pinching device between the feed shoulder of the strip and the feed member carried by the strip and movable to engage a tie wire where overridden by a rod and bend the wire into partial engaging relation to the rod, a shoe in overriding relation to a red when in position to have the wire applied thereto, and a stop member in operative relation to the pinching device and the shoe and in the path of a rod moved by the shoulder of the strip.

21. In a machine for the purpose described, spaced supporting members for a rod, means located between the spaced members for guiding a tie wire lengthwise thereof, and a pinching device for bending the tie wire into partial embracing relation to a rod overlying it, comprising two opposed members between the spaced supports, a pivot carried by the supports and traversing both members, said members being shaped on one side of the pivot support to engage the tie wire and fold it about the rod, and means engaging the pinching members on the other side of the pivot support for moving them in opposite directions into and out of active engagement with the wire.

22. In a machine for the purpose described, spaced supports for rods, means for delivering rods to the spaced supports in transverse relation thereto, a guide for a tie wire carried by the spaced supports, pinching members for the tire Wire carrie by the spaced supports, a reciprocatory feeding member carried by the spaced supports in position to engage rods deposited thereupon, and means for operating the reciprocatory member and the pinching members in timed relation.

23. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding rods successively, means for directing tie wires in underriding relation to the rods, pinching devices in position to engage the tie wires and bend them into partial embracing relation to the rod-s, and means for operating the rod feeding devices and the pinching members in timed relation comprising a rock shaft, connections therefrom to the pinching members, and connections from the rock shaft to the feeding means for the rods, the lastnamed connections including a lost-motion device.

24. A machine for the purpose described, comprising means for crimping rods and cutting them to predetermined lengths, means for feeding said rods in succession in spaced relation one to the other, means for directing tie wires in underriding relation to the rods, means for bending the tie wires in partial embracing relation to the rods, and driving means forthe several named mechanisms including means for putting the rod feeding and tie-wire securing means into and out of active operation Without interference with the continued operation of the driving means or of the wire crimping means.

25. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding rods successively in spaced relation one to the other, means for feeding tie wires to the rods in spaced relation lengthwise of said rods, and means for moving the tie wires about the rods to bind the tie wires thereto.

26. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding rods successively in a direction perpendicular to the length of the rods and at the same time spacing the rods one from the other, means for feeding tie wires to the rods in spaced relation lengthwise of said rods, and means for moving the tie wires about each rod in succession as fed into position.

27. In a machine for the purpose described, means for feeding tie wires in spaced relation one to the other, means for feeding rods successively upon the tie wires in spaced relation one to the other and in perpendicular relation to the tie wires, and means for looping the tie wires about each rod as it is fed into position with respect to said tie wires.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ROGERS.

Vitnesses ALICE M. KINNEY, S. T. TALKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

